Beyoncé and Kings of Leon to headline this year's Virgin Media V Festival

Beyoncé and Kings of Leon will headline this year's Virgin Media V Festival.

The Halo singer will make her only European festival appearance while the American rockers will also top the bill at the annual event, which takes place in both Hylands Park, Chelmsford, and Weston Park, Staffordshire, across the weekend of August 17 and 18.

Surprise: Mrs carter will headline V this year - her only UK festival appearance

Festival directors Bob Angus, Simon Moran and Dennis Desmond said: 'We’ve worked hard to bring fans an exciting and diverse line-up - securing Beyonce for an exclusive European Festival appearance and Kings of Leon as headliners is a great achievement.

'These acts along with one of the strongest bills in V Festival's 18-year history is something we are very proud of.

'We have a reputation for bringing fans the best world-class acts and breakthrough artists - 2013 is set to be another sensational year.'

A treat: Caleb Followill of Kings of Leon performs onstage at a festival in Tennessee in 2010

Get ready! Kings of Leon, Jared Followill, Nathan Followill, Matthew Followill and Caleb Followill, will also top the bill at this year's V Festival

V Festival is now in its 18th year and last year saw electric sets from headliners The Stone Roses and The Killers with other show-stopping performances from the likes of David Guetta and Ed Sheeran.

Tickets for this year's event go on sale at 9am on Friday, March 1.

Last year's festival! Fans baked last summer at the V Festival

The Stone Roses wowed at last year's festival

X Factor winner James Arthur will also be playing V this summer. The Vaccines and Calvin Harris are also among the first batch of stars unveiled for the festival.